Shortly after COVID-19 reached Canada, the meaning of 害羞草研究所渆ssential work害羞草研究所� began to crystalize as people like nurses and grocery store clerks remained on the job at great risk to themselves and their families.

Health workers held the hands of the dying when their loved ones couldn害羞草研究所檛 be there, while others provided access to vital goods and kept supplies moving across borders that were otherwise closed.

In a landslide vote, front-line workers have been named the 2020 Newsmaker of the Year in a survey of news editors across the country by The Canadian Press.

害羞草研究所淭he front-line workers risked their lives from the start, not knowing what we know now about COVID,害羞草研究所� said Jodi Isenberg, the Toronto Star害羞草研究所檚 senior editor, Life and Entertainment, in casting her ballot.

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害羞草研究所淭hey gave up more than anyone in this fight, left their families, sometimes were the last face someone at death害羞草研究所檚 door would see. They deserve all the praise we can bestow on them.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淢ost of us did our part by staying home; these front-line workers did their parts by stepping up,害羞草研究所� said Dawn Walton, CTV Calgary managing editor.

Historically, the Newsmaker of the Year has most often been a politician or an athlete. But with COVID-19 dominating the news cycle, front-line workers were followed in votes this year by three public health leaders: Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada害羞草研究所檚 chief public health officer; Dr. Horacio Arruda, Quebec害羞草研究所檚 director of public health; and Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.害羞草研究所檚 provincial health officer.

The pandemic highlighted not only the essential role of front-line workers but also some of the gaps in support for them. From staffing shortages in long-term care homes that amplified the devastation of the disease to pushes for national sick pay and child-care programs, COVID-19 has been a catalyst for change.

Paul Meinema, national president at United Food and Commercial Workers Canada, said its members, from grocery store workers to food processors, have spent much of the pandemic worried about their safety.

They害羞草研究所檝e always played an essential role but have never had such public acknowledgment of their value, he said.

害羞草研究所淢any people went to the grocery store each week and never really considered the person who was putting the food on the shelf and checking them out or making sure there was fresh meat and produce on the counter,害羞草研究所� Meinema said.

害羞草研究所淐OVID has exposed the importance of this work.害羞草研究所�

That work has been recognized through temporary measures like pandemic pay that the union believes should be made permanent.

害羞草研究所淚 think it raised awareness in society generally and I think we害羞草研究所檙e hopeful for a continued societal change recognizing the importance of these jobs,害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 Meinema said.

The pandemic has also highlighted some behind-the-scenes workers who have often gone unnoticed.

Enzo Caprio, who oversees 15 testing labs in the Montreal and Abitibi-Temiscamingue areas as clinical administrative director for the Optilab-McGill University Health Centre, said the pandemic has shone new light on his staff.

害羞草研究所淚 think people are starting to realize how critical it is what we do,害羞草研究所� he said.

While some essential workers felt a reprieve as case counts slowed during the summer, Caprio said that never happened in the labs, where testing continued at a rapid pace.

In a matter of months, the labs underwent transformations that would normally take years to increase their COVID-19 testing capacity. They害羞草研究所檝e completed 430,000 tests since March, he said.

害羞草研究所淪ince March, I myself have been doing 13 hours every day. My staff has not stopped,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭hey have voluntarily done this because they understand how important it is what we do.害羞草研究所�

Sophie Gabiniewicz, a registered nurse in the intensive care unit at St. Paul害羞草研究所檚 Hospital in Vancouver, said it has been one of the hardest years in her 25 year career.

The public recognition of the risks and sacrifices taken by health workers has been a boost, beginning with the nightly clanging of pots and pans that has united isolated households in gratitude.

害羞草研究所淚 could hear the roar come through as a wave one day as I was coming into work and thought, Wow that害羞草研究所檚 for me. They害羞草研究所檙e doing that for me,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淚t gave me a really happy nice shiver tingle.害羞草研究所�

Although the vaccine represents hope on the horizon, many of the same workers are now in the thick of a second wave.

害羞草研究所淚 just hope that people are still thinking about us,害羞草研究所� said Gabiniewicz. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e going to get through this all together.害羞草研究所�

The clang of pots and pans at 7 p.m. each night may have died down but Canadians害羞草研究所� gratitude for essential workers has not.

害羞草研究所淚n an absolutely terrible year, the public was reminded how our everyday heroes are not professional athletes, musicians or even politicians, they are our front-line workers,害羞草研究所� wrote James Miller, managing editor of the Penticton Herald.

害羞草研究所淚t was remarkable how they put their lives on the line daily.害羞草研究所�

Tim Switzer, managing editor of the Regina Leader-Post, similarly noted that while other officials often became the public faces of the COVID-19 fight, it has been the front-line workers fighting on the ground who have made the difference.

害羞草研究所淚f there is anything good to come out of a pandemic 害羞草研究所� and that害羞草研究所檚 a big if 害羞草研究所� maybe it will be that everyone takes many of those workers less for granted.

Amy Smart, The Canadian Press

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